Rotary engine.



No. 671,557. Patentbd Apr. 9, 190l. L. E. KBUTZ.

ROTARY ENGINE.

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ROTARY ENGINE.

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No. 67|,557. Patented Apr. 9, l90l. y

L. E. KBOTZ.

ROTARY ENGINE.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LINFORD ELIJSWORTH KROTZ, OF VICTOR, COLORADO.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671,557, dated April 9,1961;

Applieationfiled November 28, 1900. m'erial No. 38,047. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: H

Be it known that I, LINFORD ELLSWORTH KROTZ, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Victor, in the county of Teller and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RotarySteam-Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary steam-engines, and hasfor. its object the production of an engine of this character which willuse steam expansively in an eifective manner, which embodies improvedfeatures of construction capable of employment in a single or duplexhigh-pressure or compound engine,'and which is reversible and designedto give both high power and speed.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction,combination, and arin the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is' a side elevation of a rotaryengine embodying myinvention. Fig.2isaverticallongitudinal section ofthe same on line 2 2 of Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectionof the same on line 3 3 of Fig.2,showing the piston at the intermediatepoint in the revolution of the inner eccentric cylinder. Fig. 4 is asimilar view showing the piston at the starting-point at which both thesupply and exhaust of steam are out off. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detaillongitudinal sectional view through the pistonchambers and innereccentric cylinders on line 5 5 of Fig. 3 looking toward the exhaustside. Fig. 6 is a similar view looking toward the inlet side. Fig. 7 isa vertical transverse section on line 7 7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is anenlarged detail longitudinal section through the governor chamber,showing the governor mechanism. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a Fig.lO'is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 11 is a detail view of partsof the reversing mechanism. Figs. 12 and 13 are sections through thepiston-wing casing, showing the positions of the reversing-valves in therotation of the piston in both directions.

with an annular groove 11.

trolling valve 16.

Fig. 14 is a detail perspective View of the inner adjustable head andflange, the latter being partly broken away to show the ad- 7 j ustablepartition therein.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2represent standards or pillow blocks, in which are mounted stationarytubular journals 3 and 4, on which the outer engine-cylinder5 revolves.This cylinder comprises in its construction an annular body 6, closed ateach end by heads 7 and 8, which are removably applied thereto, andprovided upon its interior, adjacent to the head 7, with a fixed annularend wall or head 9, concaved upon its outer face to form an interveningspace or chamber 10 between it and said head 7 and formed upon its innerface Into this groove extends the outer edge of a cylindrical flange l2,projecting from the inner face of a longitudinally-adjustable annularend wal l or head 9, located adjacent to the head 8. The outer face ofthis wall or head 9' is concaved to form between it and the head 8 aspace or chamber 10, correspondingto the chamber 10. Thehead 9 and itsflange 12 fit steamtight within the cylinder and areadjustable towardthe head 9 by means of screws or other suitable adjusting devices 13,working in the head 8. Connected to or formed upon the tubular journal 4and in open communication therewith is a steam-chest 14, to which isconnected a steam-supply pipe 15, having acou- The journal 4 being incommunication with the steam-chest serves as a conductor whereby livesteam is conveyed to the engine,while the journal 3 serves as anexhaust.

An adjustable annular partition 17 fits steam-tight upon the interior ofthe cylindrical flange 12 and separates the interior of the outercylinder 5 into high and low pressure steam or piston chambers 18 and19, in which are disposed the high and low pressure inner cylinders 20and 21, mounted upon a hollow shaft 22,extending through saidsteamchambers and through the apertures in the heads or walls 9 and 9and journaled at its ends in boxings 23 and 24, formed or provided uponthe inner ends of the tubular journals 3 and 4 and located in the saidchambers 10 This shaft is provided at its inner end, within the boxing24, with a restricted feedport in communication with the journal 4 andthrough which steam is conducted to the steam-chambers 18 19 in themanner hereinafter described. An automatic cut-ofl valve 26, pivoted atits upper end, is adapted to swing across and open and close the portand may be adjusted to regulate the supply of steam by means of abell-crank lever 27, having one of itsarms connected by a link 28-to thevalve and its otherarm jointed to the upper end of anintermediately-pivoted vertical opcrating-lever 29. A sliding rod 30 isconnected at its inner end to said lever and extends to the exteriorthrough the tubular journal4 and a stuffing-box 31 in the steam-chest 14and is provided at its outer end with an operating key or handle 32. Byoperating this handle by pulling it outwardly or shoving it inwardly thevalve 26 may be thrown to either side of the center of the shaft 22 tocooperate with the valve mechanism, according to the direction of motionof the piston-cylinders.

Fig. 7 shows the position in which the valve stands when the engine isrotating to the left. From this it will be seen that valve 26 will closeport 25 at about a three-quarter revolution. The pistons being in thesame position as this port, no steam is admitted through this port forthe balance of the travel of the pistons in the steam-chambers on thatrevolution. Upon reversing the engine to rotate to theright, with thevalve in the same position, the port 25 will be closed on the firstquarter-revolution and open on-the last threequarters; hence thenecessity for shifting the valve over from one to the other side of theport when the engine is reversed.

ally to the axis of the outer cylinder 5 and is adjustably supported inbearings 33 in the boxings 23and 24, each of which bearings is providedwithan adjusting-screw 35, and said shaft is formed at oneend withgear-teeth 36, which mesh with teeth 37 upon theinner circum-ference ofthe head or wall 9, whereby said cylinder is caused to rotate with theshaft. The inner or piston cylinders 20 and 2 1 are mounted adjustablyandconcentrically on the shaft, and consequently eccentric to the axisof the outer cylinder 5, so that a portion of the perimeter ofeachpiston-cylinder normally lies in contact with the inner circumference ofthe outer cylinder. In the present instance the parts are so arranged asto bring each piston-cylinder into contact with the interior surface ofthe outer cylinder at the.

point a along a line at the top of each and ina vertical plane throughtheir axes.

The interior of each inner 'or piston cylinder is divided by a partition38, extending transversely of the shaft 22 into supply and exhaustchambers 39 and 40, and is provided at one point with a radialpiston-casing 41, extending through the partition and across saidchambers and from the hollow shaft 22 through the perimeter of thecylinder. In this casing is slidably mounted a piston-wing 41, formedwith recesses in which are disposed packing-strips 41, forming asteamtight connection between the piston-wing and inner surface of theouter cylinder 5 and said wing and the walls of the casing 41. Eachpiston-wing is held within its casing by keys 41 slidably fitted insockets 41 therein and formed at their outer ends withlaterally-extending toes of bit portions 41 which are adapted to play inopenings in the ends of the wing and to fit within and traverse grooves41*, formed in the head 9 and partition 17 or the head 9 and saidpartition, as the case may be. Springs 41 are disposed within thesockets and act to press the piston-wings outwardly to hold the outeredge thereof at all times in contact with the inner surface of thecylinder 5. The side walls of the piston-casing are provided in thesupply and exhaust chambers 39 and 40 of each inner or piston cylinder20 and21 withduplicate supply and exhaust ports 42 42 43 43, which arelocated at the outer end of the casing and cooperate with feed groovesor recesses 44 44' 45 45, arranged in the opposite sides of thepistonwing, the grooves 44 44 coacting with one set of supply andexhaust ports 42 42 and the grooves 45 45' with the other set of supplyand exhaust ports 43 43. Steam is supplied to the chambers 18 and 19through supply-ports 46 47 and exhausts therefrom through companionexhaust-ports 46' 47 in the hollow shaft 22. These ports are arranged inpairs at diametrically opposite sides of the shaft, and the ports ofeach set are separated by 1 partitions 'or diaphragms 48 and 49, thesup- The hollow shaft 22 is mounted eccentricply-port 46 being separatedfrom the exhaustport 46 by the partition or diaphragm 48 and theconstruction and principle of operation of my invention; but it will ofcourse be understood that the same may be embodied in a single or duplexhigh-pressure engine by changes in the construction falling within thespirit and scope of the invention. In the single form of engine thepiston-cylinder 20 and cooperating parts would alone be employed;

but the construction of the cylinder would be,

substantially the same. In the duplex highpressu're enginepiston-cylinders of approximately the same area would be employed andarranged at diametrically opposite points, so as to secure the directpressure of steam throughout each entire revolution, and theconstruction of the hollow shaft and outer cyl- ICC inder would beapproximately the same as in exterior through the latter. The outer endof the present case. I do not therefore desire to limit the invention tothe specific construction and arrangement of parts herein shown forpurposes of illustration only, as the foregoing and other changes may bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The engine is provided with reversing mechanism and with governormechanism. The reversing mechanism is arranged in duplicate in eachcylinder, and each set comprises in its construction two pairs ofslide-valves 51 50 51'. The valves 50 51 control the ports 42 43 in oneside of the valve-casing 41, but on opposite sides of the partil ion 17,the valve 50 being disposed in the supply-chamber 18 and the valve 51 inthe exhaust-chamber 19. These valves are connected by a stem or rod 52,extending through said partition 38, to move in unison and toalternatelyopen and close the ports 42 43, the valves being so arranged that whenthe valve 50 uncovers the port 42 the valve 51 covers the port 43, as

, shown in Fig. 6, and vice versa; The valves 50 51, on the other hand,control the ports 42 43 in the opposite side of the valve-casing 41 andon opposite sides of said partition 38 and are connected by a stem orrod 53, extending through the partition, so as to alternately close theports 42 43', the movement of the valves in one direction closing theport 42' and opening the port 43, as shown in Fig. 5, and in the reversedirection opening said port 42 and closing said port 43. Theports 42 42'coact with each other to form supply and exhaust ports when the engineis running in one direction, while the ports 43 43' similarly coact whenthe engine is running in the reverse direction. These ports arediagonally disposed on opposite sides of the partition 17, as shown inFig. 12. Thus it will be understood that the valves50 50 and ,51 51 arecompanion valves and simultaneously open or close the ports governedthereby. Thetwo pairs or sets of valves of each cylinder are operatedthrough the medium of pivoted levers 54 and 55, which are mounted toswing in a direction longitudinally of the hollow shaft 22 and areconnected at their outer ends to one of the valves of each set andprovided at their inner ends with pivoted or knuckle-jointed shiftinglugs 56 and 5-7, which project through the ports 46 46' or 47 47', asthe case may be, in the hollow shaft 22 and arebifurcated to straddledisks 58 and 59 upon a rod 60, extending longitudinally through saidshaft. As will be readily understood, the lugs 56 and 57 project throughthe ports 46 46 and ports 47 47 at diametrically opposite sides of theshaft and are simultaneously operated by the movement of the rod. Thelugs 56 and 57 loosely engage the disks 5S and 59, so as to turn freelyabout the same when the engine is running. The rod 60 slideslongitudinally in boxes in the shaft 22 and hollow journal 3 and extendsto the the rod is pivotally connected to the upper end of a lever 61,fulcrumed to the standard 1,which isconnected to an operating-lever 62through the medium of a connecting-rod 63, extending through thestandards 1 and 2below the engine-cylinders. This operating-lever ispivoted to a segment-rack 64 upon the steam-chest 14 and is providedwith a pawl to engage the teeth of the rack to hold the parts fixedinadjusted position. The operation of this mechanism will be clear fromthe foregoing description.

The governor mechanism is clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and is mountedin a chambered extension of the boxing 24 and comprises avertically-sliding rod 65, connected at its upper end to a ball-governor66 and at its lower end to a link 67, which is jointed thereto and tothe valve 26. A bevel-gear 68 is carried by the governor and meshes witha pinion 69 on one end of a counter-shaft 70, which is provided at itsopposite end with a spur-gear 71, meshing with a gear-ring or annulus 72on the inner side of the head 8 of the outer cylinder. The rod slides upand down as the balls of the governor move in and out and operate thevalve 26 in an obvious manner to control the passage of steam to theport 25.

The operation of the engine is as follows: The reversing mechanism isoperated to set the reversing-valves to control the passage of steamaccording to the direction in which it is desired to have the enginerotate. When it is desired to have the engine rotate in the direction ofthe arrow shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or to the left, the reversingmechanism is operated to cause the valves 50 50 51 51' to close theports 43 43 and open the ports 42 42, as shown in Fig. 12. When,however, it is desired to have the engine rotate in the reversedirection, or to the right, the valves are reversed from the positionstated to close the ports 42 42' and open the ports 43 43', as shown inFig. 13. Now assuming that the. valves are set in the former position torotate the engine to the left and the piston-wing is in the positionshown in Fig. 3, steam is admitted to the supply-chamber 39 of thehigh-pressure piston-cylinder 20 through the ports 46 and fills saidchamber. It then flows outwardly through the port 42' in thepiston-casing 41 and feed groove 44' in the piston into thehigh-pressure chamber 18 of the outer cylinder 5 and fills the space abehind the piston and between the same and contacting portion a of thetwo cylinders 5 and 20, and thereby exerts pressure on the piston,forcing the same upwardly and around to the leftand rotating thecylinder 20 and also the cylinder 5 through the meshing gear-teeththereof in the same direction. As the piston-cylinder continues torevolve and the distance between it and the wall of the cylinder 5decreases the piston-wingis grad uallyforced inward against the tensionof its springs, cutting ofi the flow of steam, and the cylinder revolvesby mementum past the contacting point a. On moving past this point thepiston is again gradually forced out, and the steam confined in thechamber 18 passes through the port 42 and feed-passage 44 into thechamber 40 on the exhaust side of the inner drum or cylinder and thenceexhausts through the port 46 into the hollow shaft 22. From this pointthe steam then passes into the low-pressure chamber 19 and takes thesame course through the ports and feed-passages thereof as in the caseof the high-pressure cylinder and finally exhausts through the port 47to the hollow shaft and from thence through the tubular journal 3 to theatmosphere. Thus both the impact and expansive force of the steam isutilized. During the exhaust throughthe port 42 and feed-passage 44 thesteam is admitted behind the piston through the port 42' andfeed-passage 44', whereby a continuous supply and exhaust of steamoccurs. In driving the engine in the reverse direction, or to the right,it will be clear from the foregoing description that steam entersthrough the ports 43 and feedpassages 45 and exhausts through the portsand passages 43 and 45.

While the engine is primarily intended for use with steam as theimpelling agent, compressed air, gas, or other expansive fluids may beefficiently employed. Power may be derived from the engine for drivingmachinery of any desired kind by means of a belt passed around thecylinder 5 or sleeve 5 or through the medium of suitable gearing.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isv l. A rotary engine comprising an outerrotary cylinder, an inner rotary cylinder provided with supply andexhaust chambers and ports communicating with said chambers, a

hollow shaft carrying said inner cylinder and having supply and exhaustports communicatingtherewith, and a piston carried by said innercylinder and controlling the passage of steam through the ports therein,substantially as set forth.

2. A rotary engine comprising inner and outer rotating cylinders, apiston carried by the inner cylinder, a hollow shaft carrying the innercylinder, and reversing mechanism having operating means extendingthrough said shaft, substantially as set forth.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination of an inclosing cylinder providedat one end with a stationary internal-head, a movable internal headhaving a cylindrical extension engaging the fixed head and formingtherewith a pistonchamber, means for adjusting said movable head andextension, and a piston rotatably mounted in said piston-chamber,substantially as set forth.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination of an inclosing cylinder,removable heads closing meet the ends of the cylinder, a stationaryinternal head near one end of the cylinder, a movable internal head nearthe opposite end of the cylinder and provided with a cylindrical flangeor extension slidably engaging said stationary head and formingtherewith a piston-chamber,.adj usting devices upon the adjacentremovable head of the cylinder for adjusting said movable internal headand extension, and a piston rotatably mounted in said piston chamber,substantially as set forth.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination of a rotary outer inclosingcylinder, a rotary eccentric internal cylinder having supply and exhaustchambers, a hollow shaft having supply and exhaust ports communicatingwith said chambers, and supporting said internal cylinder, and a pistoncontrolling the passage of steam through said ports and chambers of theinner cylinder, substantially as set forth.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination of a rotary outer inclosingcylinder, a rotary eccentric internal cylinder having a partitionforming supply and exhaust chambers and a piston-wing casing providedwith communieating ports, a hollow feed-shaft supporting said internalcylinder and havingsup'ply and exhaust ports communicating therewith,and a piston-wing mounted in said casing and having feed-groovescooperating with the ports, substantially as set forth.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination of a' rotating outer inclosin gcylinder having high and low pressure chambers, high and low pressureeccentric rotating internal cylinders mounted in said chambers andprovided with supply and exhaust chambers and ports communicatingtherebetween, piston-Wings carried by the inner cylinders and governingthe feed of steam through said ports, and a hollow feed-shaft carryingthe inner cylinders and having independent sets of supply and exhaustports communicating with thechambers thereof, substantially as setforth.

9. In a rotary engine, the combination of an outer inclosing rotatingcylinder, an inner eccentric rotating cylinder having supply and exhaustchambers and a piston-casing provided with ports communicatingtherewith, reversing-valves controlling said ports, a piston havingfeed-grooves, a hollow shaft having ports, pivoted levers for operatingthe valves, a rod extending through the shaft, and carrying disks,pivoted lugs on the levers loosely straddling the disks, and operatingmeans connected to the rod, substantially as set forth.

10. In a rotary engine, an outer rotating cylinder, an inner rotatingcylinder, a hollow feed-shaft, and a piston carried by the innercylinder and controlling the supply and exhaustof steam to and from saidouter cylin- 1o der, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

LINFORD ELLSWORTH KROTZ.

Witnesses:

ROBERT SCHINDLER, ANNA FRECKER.

